Alto Mare: Fated Reunion Redux
by Guardian Samuel
Summary: It's been 2 years and 7 months since I first published Alto Mare: Fated Reunion, and watching it grow has been wonderful! The view count for AM:FR passed 40,000 a few weeks ago and I've been considering this for a while now. AM:FRR, as I'll call it, will see me journeying back to the past and tweaking chapters to fit my evolved style of writing. Join me, on this epic quest!
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Back in my day we didn't have your fancy spell check! If we wanted to know something was spelled right, we had to walk to the library twenty miles down the road and grab a dictionary! Okay, but for real now, it's been awhile. I posted an extra chapter to AM:FS a couple days ago, but that's the only activity I've had on here for awhile now. I decided now was as good a time as any to start this.**

 **AM:FRR's chapters will stay roughly the same as the original. All I'm doing is rewriting and tweaking the chapters to fit my evolved style of writing. I decided to make this a separate entry since I see AM:FR as a milestone for me to look back on and ask myself, 'What did I do right, and what did I do wrong? How can I improve upon myself?" So, without further ado, here is the first entry, into AM:FRR. Enjoy!**

"Speech."  
 _'Thoughts."  
 **"Telepathy to an**_ _ **individual."**_ **  
** **"Telepathy to a group."**

* * *

Sitting with his legs crossed and a pile of rocks near him, Ash, could be seen skipping rocks on the calm water of Pallet beach. Pikachu, as per the norm, accompanied Ash during his daily trips to the beach. Many of the locals came to the same conclusion. He was simply enjoying his short break, relaxing at the beach when he could. However, there is always more than meets the eye and this is the story of what is going on beyond what the eye can see.

Pikachu silently watched Ash throw yet another rock in the direction of the calm sea. This had been going on since Ash had returned home after obtaining the title of Pokémon Master a few weeks prior. The young boy was about to throw another one when he stopped mid-throw. Pikachu's ears twitched at this sudden halt and looked up at Ash with a quizzical expression.

Ash lowered his arm and set the rock down. "Have you noticed?"

Pikachu simply nodded.

Ash sighed, and rubbed his best friend's head. "I'm sorry if I worried you, or anyone else for that matter, but ever since we got back, I… I feel like there's something I'm supposed to do. It's like a, giant weight, on my shoulders that I can't ignore, you know?"

The electric mouse dipped out from underneath Ash's hand and trotted out in front of him. "Pika Pikachu?"

"Yeah, I think I might know, but I can't be sure until I confirm it for myself."

Ash smiled brightly and stood up.

"Pikachu, we're getting the old group together again and going on vacation!"

* * *

Bianca stomped into the Secret Garden and swiveled her head from side-to-side, searching for her red friend. "Latias!"

Bianca turned her head towards a large thud, and quickly made her way over to it.

Latias picked herself up and rubbed her head. _**"What is it, Bianca? Is something wrong?"**_

Bianca pushed a finger into Latias' chest. "You, are, what's wrong! Ever since Ash left, all you've done is sit up in that tree, and pout! You need to cheer up!" She eased herself off and frowned, "Lorenzo and I are worried about you."

Latias looked down at the ground in shame with tears welling in the corner of her eyes. _**"What am I supposed to do, Bianca? It hurt seeing him leave right after brother died. I-I was sure he was the one for me, but now, now it's been almost 4 years, and…"**_

Bianca gently embraced the emotional Pokémon. "Shhh, it's okay. I know it hurts, but that can't stop you from pushing aside your duties as the guardian. With Latios gone, you need to spend more time protecting the city." Bianca stepped back, cupping Latias' head, and gave her a comforting smile. "Don't worry too much about Ash. I'm sure he hasn't forgotten about you, and hey, you can surprise him with your telepathy when he does come back!"

Latias nodded and wiped away her tears. _**"Thanks Bianca, I feel a little better, and you're right, I've been irresponsible. I'll go and have a look around before lunch,"**_ Latias said turning to fly off.

"Make sure nobody sees you!" Bianca yelled after her. After the red eon disappeared, Bianca pulled out a folded piece of paper from her back pocket and smiled. "Don't worry, Latias, he hasn't forgotten," she whispered to the paper. With that she turned on her heel, and headed home.

 **A/N: The horizontal line, as it did in AM:FR, represents a transition of locations/time/etc...**


	2. Chapter 2

The Cerulean City gym, though normally busy with trainers looking for their next badge, was empty. A young redhead was walking through the main lobby with some beaten up buckets. Just as she was about to turn the corner the phone at the desk began ringing. She put the buckets down and walked to the desk. Muttering something about lazy sisters, the redhead picked up the phone and fell into routine.

"Hello! This is Misty, of the Cerulean City Gym speaking, how may I help you?"

"Hey, Misty! Long time no chat!" exclaimed a voice she hadn't heard in a long time. Her heart skipped a beat the moment he spoke. She thanked Arceus they weren't using video call, not knowing how she might react if his face had suddenly appeared after so long.

"Ash! I, umm, wow, it's good to hear from you! It's, been awhile since we talked," she replied sheepishly.

She heard an audible sigh from her old friend. "Yeah, I haven't done very good in terms of keeping in touch with you guys."

"I heard you came back to Kanto and did something pretty big."

"You don't know? I guess I did keep it pretty quiet. Well, I defeated Lance, and received the title of Pokémon Master.

Misty fell out of her chair at this sudden news.

"Misty? You OK? I heard a crash."

Misty picked herself up from the floor and grabbed the phone. "What did you just say!?"

Ash chuckled. "I finally became a Pokémon Master."

Misty collected her thoughts and a stupid smile spread across her face. "Ash! That-That's amazing news to hear! It's been your dream since we met! I'm so happy for you!"

"Thanks, Misty. It means a lot hearing that from you. If it weren't for you and that trusty bike of yours, I may have never made it past Viridian City."

Misty blushed from the praise.

"Anyways," he started, "I called you for a reason. I want you to come down to Pallet. Brock is on his way as well."

"Ash, you're a good friend, but I can't just leave the Gym unattended for a couple of days. The League will be at my heels if I do. What do you want me to come down for anyways?"

"I want to get the old group together again and go on a trip! Think of it as a vacation!"

Misty sighed. "I would love to go on a trip with you guys, but-"

"Don't worry about the Gym. I've already called Lance, and asked him to give you some time off from your official duties."

Misty struggled to think of anything else. She could very easily ask some trusted friends to come in and feed the Pokémon, and as long as Lance gave the go ahead, there really was no reason to refuse. Misty gave it herself a few minutes before saying anything.

"Where would we be going?"

"Alto Mare!"

Misty frowned. "Alto Mare?"

The name left a bad taste. The city itself was breathtaking. The interconnecting canals and beautifully constructed structures left you hard pressed to find anything bad about it. No, the bad taste wasn't because of the city. It was from something that resided in the city. It had been years since that little 'incident' occurred, and Misty, for the most part, had matured in that time, but the jealousy she felt from then never seemed to fade. She didn't really have any desire to go back to that city, but she wasn't about to pass up a chance to be with Ash.

"Alright, how long are we gonna be gone?"

"I knew you'd come around! We leave in a week!"

Misty couldn't help but smile at Ash's enthusiasm for this. As Ash began talking about trip details, Misty lost herself in thought.

'This was the right choice. If I don't do anything now, then it will never happen. This trip will be the perfect time to tell him how I feel… I just hope I have the courage when the time comes.'

"Misty! Hello? The call didn't drop, did it?"

"Oh, sorry! I guess I'll see you next week then!"

"Wait! I wanted to say 'thank you'. It wouldn't have been the same without you two."

Misty blushed once again.

"No problem, Ash. Anything for y-. Anything for a friend."

 **A/N: AM:FR was like a blind playthrough. I had little experience, the controls felt weird, and there was a lot I didn't know about. AM:FRR is like a walkthrough for less experienced players. It doesn't have the same sense of rawness to it like the first one that some enjoy, but it's easier to understand and appreciate.**


	3. Chapter 3

Delia was walking circles in Ash's room with a frown. Ash just smiled as he did a final check on his luggage. He nodded to no one in particular and zipped up his trusty, green backpack and shouldered it.

"Are you sure you have everything?"

"Come on, mom, it's not like this is the first time I've left home, and I'll be back before you know it!"

"Oh, I know, but I'll never get used to you leaving. You're my little boy after all!"

Delia walked over and pulled him into a hug. The kind of hug that was unique to mothers and their children. There was a sense of security and motherly love. Ash returned the hug with no complaint. It did seem a little weird to, Ash, though. He wasn't used to being taller than his mother. After a few seconds he patted her back and broke off. A knock resonated from downstairs, almost as if it'd been timed. Delia headed downstairs with, Ash, a few feet behind her.

As he neared the couch, Pikachu jumped on his arm and climbed up to his shoulder. It was then, his old friends were welcomed in. Misty, the hot headed Gym leader of Cerulean City Gym, and Brock, the Gym leader of the Pewter City gym. The three of them had been through a lot together. He would do just about anything for them.

Misty set her bag down gave Ash a friendly hug. "It's good to finally see you again," she said.

Ash pat Misty's head. She hadn't changed or grown much from the last time he'd seen her, making her nearly a head shorter than him now.

"It's good to see you guys. It's been, what, 3 years since Johto?"

"Too long, I say," Brock remarked holding out a hand. Ash gave him a strong handshake in return.

"So," Brock continued, "what's the plan? I imagine you've done your homework."

"Ash, honey, the cab just arrived!" Delia called from the garden.

Ash shrugged. "Just a little."

 **-2 days later-**

It was early in the morning and the sun was still rising. Ash, used to waking up early, found himself leaning over the railing, listening to the waves crash into the side of the boat. Alto Mare, a town where he had a fateful encounter, years past, could be seen creeping over the horizon. It was time to see if this encounter could be rekindled or if all that was left was, funnily enough, ash. The Captain announced when they would be docking over the PA system, interrupting Ash's thoughts. Rude, he thought, but this gave him an excuse to wake Misty and Brock so they could catch breakfast. Just as he was turning around, he saw something red streak across the sky. He smiled excitedly.

"It's good to see you again," he whispered.

* * *

Latias soared through the sky, scanning her surroundings with an eye as sharp as a Pidgeot's. She had stuck to her word about guarding the city and even took it upon herself to aid the local Pokémon as well as she could without being spotted by a human. Today, however, there was nothing for her to do, but she felt uneasy.

 _'I don't like this. It's like an itch that won't go away. None of the other Pokémon appear worried though… Maybe I just need to take a nap.'_

She was about to turn around when she noticed something out in the sea.

 _'Of course! The boat! I suppose I should head over and make sure nothing happens.'_

With a new objective in mind, Latias flew over to the docks, transforming in a secluded alley along the way, and waited.

* * *

Brock yawned loudly, earning him a smack on the back of the head from Misty. "At least cover your mouth!"

Ash jumped ahead of them and turned his head to his two traveling companions. "Come on guys! Lorenzo's place is this way!" he yelled, sprinting off with Pikachu at his heels.

"Yeah, well you're not the pack mule are you," Brock mumbled trying to find a comfortable position to carry the bags.

"Oh quit complaining," Misty said taking her own bag from him.

"And since when is he any good with directions? The last time we were here, he got lost on his way to the ice cream parlor that was right in front of us."

"Oh well, a lot about him has changed since we last saw him."

They were silent for a few moments before Brock responded. "Yeah, he's all grown up. Kinda wish he was still a kid. It was nice being the reliable one."

Misty smacked him again.

"What was that for?!"

Misty smiled and ran after Ash.

"Hey, wait for- Aw, come on now, guys!"


	4. Chapter 4

Bianca sat quietly on the living room couch, nursing a warm mug of coffee when she heard a knock at the front door. She looked over her shoulder, checking to see if anyone else was around to get it. _"Oh, who am I kidding. Grandpa is working on a gondola."_ With a quiet sigh, the young artist stood up and made her way out into the hall. There was another knock that elicited a verbal response from her.

"Hold your Horsea! I'm coming!"

She turned the doorknob and opened up to a familiar face. "Ash! You're here! Why didn't you tell me when you were coming?"

"Then it wouldn't be as much of a surprise, would it?" he replied. Bianca greeted Pikachu before letting them both inside. She escorted them to the living room and went to prepare more coffee. Ash and Pikachu were looking at some drawing scattered on the table in front of them while waiting. The raven haired boy noticed something familiar about one and picked it up.

"This sketch…"

"Hmm, what about it?" Bianca asked sitting beside him. "Here."

Ash's eyes darted to the coffee and put the picture down to accept it. Bianca pulled it a little closer to herself. She smiled warmly as she examined it.

"That's the one Latias gave me before I left Alto Mare," Ash said.

"You knew it was her?"

"I wasn't a hundred percent sure back then, but it sort of, clicked, later on."

Bianca pulled an envelope out of seemingly nowhere and waved it around. "So where are Brock and Misty right now? Your letter says they were gonna be here as well."

"I think they headed to the hotel to drop off our luggage. I kind of just dashed here."

A few minutes of silence passed as the two drank their coffee. Ash looked at some more of Bianca's sketches, admiring the talent shown in them. It seemed like she had improved since they last met. It wasn't long before curiosity overtook him though.

"Do you know where she is right now?"

Bianca shook her head. Ash hung his head low in disappointment. He'd been hoping he could meet her as soon as possible. Patience was something he wasn't great at.

Bianca pat him on the back. "She'll be back soon."

Ash was about to say something, but was interrupted by a booming voice.

"Ash! What are you doing here?!"

Standing in the kitchen doorway was a rotund man wearing overalls. He seemed to be covered in saw dust. Ash stood up and went over to greet him.

"Hey, Lorenzo! Did Bianca not tell you we were coming?" He asked, looking towards the artist.

"No! She didn't tell me anything! Wait, we?"

"Brock and Misty are here as well," Bianca explained quickly.

"Well, where are they?"

"They headed to the hotel to drop of our luggage. They should be here pretty soon though."

As if on cue, there was a knock at the front door.

"I think Ash is a psychic," Bianca said as Lorenzo went to show them in.

"You know, Ash," Misty said, "you should really learn some patience. We were as confused as my Psyduck in a house of mirrors trying to find our way here, and here you are drinking coffee with Bianca!"

Ash scratched the back of his head and apologized.

"At least you made it!"

"No thanks to you."

This sparked an argument between the two of them. Brock tried to stop it, but was immediately tossed aside like scrap metal. Bianca picked him up off the ground and dusted him off.

"Well," Brock started, "they certainly haven't changed. Mind if I make myself a cup?"

He was already in the kitchen before anyone answered him. Lorenzo shrugged. It couldn't be easy being the referee for Ash and Misty, but it made for good entertainment at least. Bianca and Lorenzo stood there entranced by the argument going on between the two while Brock sat in the kitchen, mumbling something about a Croagunk. Bianca's excitement only grew when she heard the front door open and close. She leaned in to Lorenzo.

"Things are about to get even more exciting."

Latias, disguised as Bianca, peeked around the corner to see what the commotion was about. Her eyes went wide, and time seemed to stop. The pounding of her heart seemed to be the only thing she could hear, and for the first time in a long time, her transformation broke. The argument stopped and everyone was staring at her. Ash gazed at her, both shocked and happy. He took a step forward, smiled, and opened his arms.

"Latias."

 **A/N: Yo, so, update on the happenings. If you read AM:FS, then you might recall me saying something about leaving. Well, that's happening now. Not, now now, but a couple weeks and I'm outta state and outta luck. I won't be touching a piece of technology for a couple of months and and then some. I might put up a couple more chapters for AM:FRR before then, but don't expect anything here for awhile. I'm not going dark, mind you, just off radar for a bit. Guardian Samuel, out.**


	5. Chapter 5

Latias flew straight into his open arms. Ash reeled back a bit from the sudden movements. He began laughing as she rubbed her head against him. In return, Ash wrapped his arms around her head and hugged her to the best of his ability. A task not so easily performed on a Pokémon with her kind of body.

" _ **I missed you so much!"**_

"I mi-"

Hold on a minute. Ash opened his eyes and looked around. Bianca and Lorenzo didn't seem to mind what was going on, Brock was, well, he was being Brock, and Misty seemed a little flushed.

"Did you guys say something?"

They looked at each other and shook their heads.

" _ **Ash, it's me!"**_

Latias pulled back and pointed a claw at herself. Ash opened his mouth and closed it, trying to find his words. He pointed to Bianca and then pointed to Latias. Bianca nodded.

"I-That's amazing. That's amazing! You can talk!"

Ash began thinking about the possibilities this opened up, but was soon interrupted by Brock.

"What are you talking about? You're not making any sense!"

Ash was about to explain when Latias put a claw on his shoulder.

" _ **Let me show them."**_

"Latias will, uh, she'll tell you."

"Tell us? Ash, as much as I wish I could understand Pokespeech, I ca-"

" **It's good to see you two again. We didn't really have time to play when you were here last time, but Ash told me a lot about you back then."**

Brock, who had been interrupted mid-sentence seemed frozen in time and Misty appeared shocked.

"D-did you just talk!?" They exclaimed in unison.

"It's telepathy, right?" Ash asked.

"Like Mewtwo," Misty whispered. This quiet comment got her a strange look from both Lorenzo and Bianca.

"Who's Mewtwo?" Bianca asked. Misty, flustered by the mistake she made, attempted to play it off.

Ash looked at Latias and smiled. "I'm happy you can talk. There are so many things I want to tell you, but," he looked at the others, "I suppose that will have to wait."

He watched as Misty and Brock tried convincing Lorenzo and Bianca that Misty had actually just mispronounced a Pokémon's name.

"It's kind of noisy here. Let's go to the garden." Ash whispered. By the time anyone noticed they had left, the two were already in the Garden.

* * *

Ash and Latias slowly made their way through the Garden. They were silent, mostly because they were waiting, and thinking. Sitting on the swing where they first met, Ash was ready.

"I have no excuse."

Latias watched him and listened quietly.

"When we met back then, I was still young. I had a dream, and with 2 leagues entered and lost, I couldn't stop. Every time, I came so close, just to have it snatched from me. At that point, I became aware that I _could_ do it, I just had to try harder than I ever did. Fast forward a few years and I return to Kanto, enter the league, win, and the rest is history. I beat Lance, took the title of Pokémon Master and returned to Pallet town when nobody was paying attention."

" _ **What happened after that?"**_

"I did what any person would do. I began to remember. Every day, I would relive a different adventure in my head. The memories seemed so clear when I was at that beach. Eventually, I remembered you. When I remembered you, I realized that I missed you. The short time we spent together was…" he stopped and looked over towards the fountain.

" _ **Ash?"**_

"I'm sorry," he said wiping away some tears. "I know it wasn't my fault, but I still feel guilty."

Latias flew over and rubbed against him comfortingly. _**"It wasn't your fault. Nobody could have known what was going to happen that night. Not even my brother could have."**_

Ash nodded and ran his hand down the rough rope holding the swing up.

"Do you remember when we first met?" he asked quietly. Latias giggled.

" _ **How could I forget? As soon as you saw me, you fell off the swing."**_

Ash chuckled at the memory.

"I certainly wasn't expecting that at the time. It's not every day a legendary Pokémon wants to play with you."

" _ **That's because you were different from everybody else. I sensed you were special, but I never expected what I feel now."**_

Ash went silent and watched a group of Wooper by the pool side play.

"How _do_ you feel now?" he asked quietly.

Latias blushed. _**"I-I think I love you."**_

Ash closed his eyes and sighed. Latias backed up, afraid she made a mistake. Did he not feel the same way? Was he disgusted by her now? Maybe she could turn it around into a joke!

" _ **Ash, that was- I was just-"**_

"So that is what I was feeling."

" _ **Huh?"**_

Ash stood up and cupped Latias' head in his right hand and leaned in for a kiss. Latias froze on the spot. Her mind was blank. It wasn't until Ash pulled away that she began processing what just happened. Tears of joy began to form.

" _ **Ash, I- But, you're a human and I'm a Pokemon! How-"**_

"I don't care about that!"

The tears were now streaming down her face. Ash gently wiped them away as she began sobbing.

* * *

After their confessions, the two spent the rest of the day, hand in claw, telling each other stories they had gathered in their 4 years apart. Once night fell, they laid down underneath a tree and continued their stories. Ash, having constantly been on the travel had plenty of stories to tell. After recounting the time, he helped Lugia out, Latias became curious of something.

" _ **Am I not the first Pokémon you've met that could speak with telepathy?"**_

"No, in fact, I've met quite a few. I was just surprised you had learned how to. It's amazing that you can though. It's supposed to be an incredibly hard ability to learn."

Latias nodded. _**"I started right after you left. It wasn't until sometime last year that I started to get the hang of it. It got pretty easy after that. What were they like, the Pokémon you met?"**_

"It was amazing," Ash said with a warm smile. "I'll never forget my time with them. The time where the line between human and Pokémon blurred."

" _ **Do you see me as a person?"**_

Ash smiled and closed his eyes.

"I think we both know the answer to that," he whispered, before falling into his slumber.

 **A/N: -Insert notes here-**


	6. Chapter 6

Ash blinked a few times, staring into the sun, or, what should have been the sun. The sky above him looked like something from a fantasy. While one half took on the appearance of day, the other was blanketed in the darkness of the night sky. Looking closer at his surroundings left him flabbergasted, but Ash knew it WAS the Garden, just not the one he knew. It was void of life and the atmosphere only reinforced this idea. While the wind blew, it felt empty. It was almost uncomfortable, as if time itself had long abandoned this place.

"If this is the Garden, then that must mean…"

He shifted his weight onto one foot and pushed off with the other, making his way to the fountain. He could see a dim light beckoning to him. Of course it was there. Ash smiled at the small orb inside of the fountain. It seemed like the only thing that hadn't changed in this strange world. The light from the Soul Dew began pulsating in his presence as if responding to him.

"It's been a long time."

" _ **Almost too long."**_

Ash spun around and reached for his Pokéballs, but all his hand found was an empty belt. His head snapped up and began scanning his surroundings.

"Who's there?!"

The only people who should know about the Garden was himself, Bianca, Lorenzo, Misty, Brock, and… No, it couldn't be Annie and Oakley. The voice he heard was a male, but something about it was strange. He hadn't heard the voice. It was more like a voice in his head. In fact, it reminded him of…

"Telepathy?"

" _ **So, she has learned how to use it. There's only so much I can see here. Knowledge is limited in this realm."**_

Ash's hand twitched and relaxed his stance a little. The voice didn't seem to show any kind of hostility.

"She? Are you talking about Latias? Who are you?"

" _ **Who do you think I am?"**_

"I have an idea, but he died. It's hard to believe I could be talking to him right now."

" _ **But, you want to believe, do you not"**_

Ash turned and stared at the Soul Dew.

" _ **You already know the Soul Dew contains the soul of a Latios, in this case, my own. What you never knew is what truly happens to the Latios as an entity. Would you like to know?"**_

"Do you even have to ask?" Ash replied.

" _ **You never know, Ash, some would deny the offer. You've probably figured out that you are not in the physical realm."**_

"The sky gave it away pretty quick."

" _ **You are inside the Soul Dew, well, your soul is at least."**_

"I'm inside the Soul Dew? How does that work?"

The initial shock of the situation was beginning to wear off of Ash. His life had been full of surprises so he'd built up a good resistance to the shock factor these situations presented, but he was still cautious of this voice that claimed to be his friend who had long been dead.

" _ **I'll spare you the finer details, but think of it like a door that can only be opened from the inside. Your soul can't enter unless I invite it in. Your soul's wavelength was sporadic and random, which didn't help. There's no pattern to it. Even in Alto Mare, when you're so close, it was extremely difficult figuring it out. I'm lucky I caught you while you were still in the Garden with my sister."**_

Ash furrowed his brow and frowned.

"Is she really your sister?"

Ash felt some sort of pressure on his shoulder, as if someone had laid their hand on it. He Looked around, but saw nothing.

" _ **What would I benefit from lying? Ash, I am Latios. The very same one who gave up his life for Alto Mare. The one who was befriended by an aspiring Master and his Pikachu. What more could I do to convince you?"**_

Ash's gaze fell to the ground and he closed his eyes.

"You can't just come out of nowhere like this, tell me you're still alive, and expect me to believe you like nothing happened. Latios, you died!"

Ash smashed his fist against the fountain. He pushed off it and began walking through the garden.

" _ **Yes. Yes, you are right. I apologize. It was wrong of me to assume you would accept this so readily, but if it brings you comfort, I am dead."**_

Ash sighed and stopped at the edge of the pond.

"Of course, that doesn't bring me comfort," he stated.

" _ **She thought of you all the time, you know. Never was there a time when you weren't on her mind. Every day was spent praying for your return, praying that you would keep your promise."**_

"Latios, I-"

" _ **It's alright, I understand. You had your journey. I will not blame you for living your life, but don't forget about her feelings."**_

Ash nodded hesitantly.

" _ **Thank you, Ash, now to discuss why I brought you here."**_

"It's not about Latias?"

" _ **Indirectly, yes, but this is about those around you. Ash, decisions will need to be made in the near future. There will be those who oppose you and my sister. It will be your duty to sway their minds. It may not be easy, and you may lose friends. After being told this, are you still willing to be at her side?"**_

Ash stared into the pond quietly. He already knew his answer. Nothing was going to stand in his way.

"I came to Alto Mare to confirm what I felt, and now that I'm here, I intend to leave with Latias at my side. I don't want to lose any friends, but if it comes to it…"

Latios looked down upon Ash in his ethereal form. Everything about him at that moment in time roared determination. The young trainer had grown since they had last met. He was more mature and his attitude reflected this. Ash was no longer the naïve trainer he used to be. There would be no talking him out of it. If he could smile, he would. Ash was the one for her. A large rift began opening in the sky, alarming Ash.

"Uh, Latios?"

" _ **It would appear time is up. You are waking up."**_

More rifts started to open and light began pouring in. Ash covered his eyes and took a few steps could feel the world dissolving around him. As he began to disappear from the world, Latios gave him some parting words.

" _ **I wish you luck. Keep this meeting a secret from my sister."**_

Ash opened his eyes slowly, letting his eyes adjust to the light. With a yawn, he sat up and stretched his arms. A Wooper came over to him and jumped up and down, as if asking him to play with it. Ash gave it a soft pat on the head and it hopped back to the pond. He looked around and to confirm he was back, and surely enough, the sky didn't look like the apocalypse. Something rustled beside him. Looking down, he was greeted by the most beautiful thing he could think of at the moment. With a smile, he ran his hand across Latias' head which was a little damp from the morning dew collecting on her feathers.

The Eon stirred and awoke with a soft coo. She rubbed her head against his cheek affectionately briefly before resting her head on his lap.

"Did you sleep well?"

" _ **It's been a long time since I slept so well. Can we sleep a little longer?"**_

Ash noted her adorable yawn and chuckled.

"Sorry, but that's a no-go. I'm sure Misty and Brock are worried about me. I need to get back to the hotel and let them know I'm fine. You should probably go see Bianca and Lorenzo as well."

Latias looked at him with sad eyes. He leaned over and gave her a light kiss on the forehead.

"It's alright, we'll meet up here later today. We can go get some ice cream. How does that sound?"

" _ **Double scoop?"**_

"Triple scoop, if you want."

Latias giggled and rose from the ground. Ash stood up beside her and turned to leave.

" _ **Wait!"**_

Ash paused and began to turn around.

"What's u-" halfway through his question, Latias gave him a peck on the cheek and flew off into the morning sky.

Ash blushed slightly and laughed at her antics. He watched her disappear and made his out of the garden. The events that had transpired left him in a strange state. His friend, Latias' brother, was somehow still around. He glanced back at the fountain and nodded to himself.

"Good to see you back."


	7. Chapter 7

"Where did he go!?" Misty screamed.

"Look, Misty, nobody really knows where they went. They'll be back sooner or later anyways." Brock said cleaning up the mess Misty had made in her rage.

"Why did he leave then?! We were kind of in a bind at the moment!"

"Maybe it's because he spent more time with Latias than we did. It seemed like they had a pretty strong bond," Brock replied with a little shrug.

"A strong bond? How is that even possible? We were barely here for a couple of days last time!" Misty exclaimed.

"And in those 2 days, Ash met Latias and Latios, played with them, and then continued on to help save Alto Mare from Annie and Oakley."

Before Misty could say anything else, a knock was heard. Ash's voice was heard behind the door.

"Hey! Are you guys in there?"

Misty stomped to the door, flung it open, grabbed Ash by the collar, and threw him inside. The young trainer landed face first on the floor. Ash steadily pulled himself up with a groan.

"You haven't changed much," he said rubbing his head. Pikachu, who had been sitting on the bed through the whole ordeal jumped down and climbed up to his shoulder. Ash patted Pikachu's head.

"Hey buddy, sorry about ditching you last night."

"Pika Pikachu Pi!"

Misty stood before him, arms crossed.

"I believe you have some explaining to do Ash Ketchum!"

Ash looked over at Brock in search of rescue, but Brock shook his head. Ash sighed in defeat.

"How much do you want to know and where should I begin?" he asked.

"Everything, and I want you to start from the moment you left."

"Well, the house was getting a little noisy from your slip-up and we both decided to leave and catch up on things. It has been a long time since we had seen each other, and she can talk now," Ash explained. "We went to the garden and talked all day. We discussed my adventures in Hoenn, Sinnoh, and Unova. In turn, she told me about what's been happening here in Alto Mare."

"Did you sleep in the garden?" Brock asked curiously. Ash nodded in return.

"Yeah, and I'll tell you what. You can have some really weird dreams there," Ash said recalling his memory of the dream world.

Misty, barely able to keep her rage in check, asked quietly. "What about Latias?"

"Hmm, oh, we both slept under a-."

Misty snapped and left the room.

"Ah. Hmm, on second thought, maybe I should have lied about that."

Brock shrugged. "I don't know, but I think you need to go after her."

"I think you're right," Ash replied standing up.

"Pikachu, can you stay here with Brock? I'm going to see what's bugging Misty."

Pikachu nodded and jumped down onto the couch.

"What will you do Brock?" Ash asked before leaving.

"I heard the breakfast here is pretty good, so I might take Pikachu and check that out."

Ash nodded. "Sounds good, I'm not sure how long this will take, so don't wait up for us."

"Stupid Ash," Misty muttered to herself. She kicked a pebble that was on the ground into the canal.

"I travel with him for 2 years and he doesn't even acknowledge how I feel, but the moment we come back here he's off with Latias doing Arceus knows what!"

She paused for a moment. She started to blush at the thought and shook her head. She stomped her foot on the ground.

"Why won't he acknowledge me!?" she screamed.

She felt a hand on her shoulder and swiped it away.

"Leave me alone!" she exclaimed turning around, finding Ash in front of her.

She took a step back.

"Ash?"


	8. Chapter 8

"What are you doing here?!" Misty asked.

"Figured I should see what's wrong, but I guess you spelled it all out for me just now," Ash replied, rubbing the back of his neck.

Misty blushed deeply and began stuttering, looking for something to brush off what she said. Ash sat down on the edge of the canal and lightly smacked the ground beside him. Misty hesitated, glancing at him and the spot beside him.

"I suppose I can't blame you. Ever since I was a child, I'd always dreamt of becoming a Pokémon Master. I let that dream control me and it made me brush off the feelings of those around me."

Misty sat down beside him.

"That's not totally true. You did care about your companions and Pokémon like they were your own family," Misty said quietly.

"Maybe that's why," Ash replied with a soft chuckle.

"What?"

"Maybe it's because I thought of you as family. Like a sister that I never had," Ash said.

A moment of silence passed before Misty spoke up.

"Does that mean, my love is unrequited?"

Ash glanced over and saw a tear in her eye. He grabbed her and pulled her into a hug. Misty began choking up.

"I do love you, Misty, but not how you want me to."

Misty carefully pushed Ash away.

"Do you love Latias?"

Ash nodded firmly.

"I can't accept that," Misty said standing up.

"Misty, come on! Let's at least talk about it!" Ash said scrambling to his feet.

Misty stopped and turned towards him. She grabbed his collar and pulled him close.

"I can't accept it, Ash! If I believe I have a chance then I'm going to continue loving you until we are together!"

She pushed him away and stomped off. Ash watched her walk off. Nothing he could say right now would convince her.

"All I can do is let her cool off for now."

Ash began walking back to the hotel when he saw something above him. He looked up, but whatever he'd seen was gone, or never there.

"Must have been my imagination."

Back at the hotel, he found Brock flirting with the woman at the front desk who seemed to be doing a grade A job at ignoring him.

"Brock, I think you should give up. Seems like she isn't interested."

Brock turned to him.

"Oh, you're back. The breakfast was great, you missed it by a few minutes."

Ash shrugged.

"Not really in the mood for food right now. Where's Pikachu?"

"He went back upstairs with Misty. He seemed kind of tired so he's probably taking a nap," Brock replied pointing to the floor above them.

Ash thought about leaving so he didn't have to have another encounter with Misty, but he also needed to take a shower.

"Guess I'll go take a shower and then head out." Ash said, making his way for the stairs.

"Make sure you're back for lunch! Remember, Lorenzo booked us some seats at a restaurant!" Brock yelled after him.

Ash just waved his hand to signal he heard him and continued upstairs.

Ash slid the keycard and stepped into his room. He looked around and saw no signs of Pikachu or Misty. With a sigh of relief, he entered the restroom, showered, put on a fresh pair of clothes and left. On his way, out he saw Brock returning to the room.

"Tell Pikachu I've gone to the garden."

"The garden?"

"He'll know where to go."

"Alright, see you later."

Making sure no one else was around, Ash entered the secret garden. He looked around and saw Latias had yet to return. He walked to the fountain where the Soul Dew was contained and stared at it for a few minutes before a thought came to him.

" _I wonder…"_

He took off the glove on his right hand, reached into the water and touched the Soul Dew. He closed his eyes and concentrated.

" _Can you hear me?"_

A few minutes passed.

" _I look like a fool doing this and I'm probably wasting my time."_

" _ **Well, I wouldn't say that."**_


End file.
